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EDMONTON — As the players enjoyed a day off, Bryan Murray and his staff were busy working the phones.

So far, the talk is getting him nowhere.

With the NHL trade deadline set for 3 p.m. EST Wednesday, Murray has been huddled with assistant GMs Pierre Dorion and Randy Lee along with the club’s scouts to see what’s on the market.

While doing the talking, Murray has also been trying to get a deal done with veteran defenceman Chris Phillips and the two sides spoke again Monday.

The Senators would like to keep the 35-year-old Phillips but he turned down a one-year extension believed to be worth north of $2 million because sources say he’d like a two-year deal.

Since Phillips knows he can get that on the open market, it doesn’t hurt to ask, but if he doesn’t sign before Wednesday’s deadline, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be dealt.

“My role is, in all of this, at this time of year is to show the players and the group that if they are in the race, we’re going to try to help them stay in the race,” said Murray before the club’s flight here Monday afternoon.

“If you deal a good player, it makes it more difficult for them to believe that’s all. I’m just going to, as I say, play it out. We’ll go to the limit. I’m going to talk to Chris again and see where are. A draft pick at this moment doesn’t help this group this year so I’m obviously taking that into consideration as well.”

Sources say the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins have both shown interest in Phillips. It’s not know what the asking price is because Murray is focused on trying to keep the veteran in the fold.

“I’ve talked to Chris. I’ve made a proposal to him. He’s made a proposal to me. I’ve come back to him,” said Murray.

“We had a conversation after the (4-2 win in Vancouver Sunday). It’s the norm as you try to play out a scenario with a player. Again, you want to make the right decision, not for today only but for the future.”

Murray said Phillips is important but the club does have defencemen coming up through the organization. Binghamton blueliner Mark Borowiecki has a one-way contract that kicks in next year.

“(Phillips) has been an awfully good player. A real steadying influence in our room,” said Murray. “He’s a character player and person. Watching him play as a partner with (Cody) Ceci (Sunday) for an example where he can mentor to a degree a young player. All of those things have to come into play.

“In turn, we also have to know we have some people coming down the road that want a chance to play in the league. That’s the tough call at this moment.”

The Senators sent out an email last week offering defenceman Joe Corvo to anybody who wanted to give him a chance The club will gauge interest in UFA’s Milan Michalek and Phillips.

Ideally, Murray would like to add at the deadline and not subtract.

Sources say the Senators have interest in Buffalo’s Chris Stewart but the asking price is high. An option is Edmonton winger Ales Hemsky.

“I really don’t want to tamper with (the defence),” said Murray. “If I could find one more forward with this group I’d be pretty happy.”

Murray said he doesn’t anticipate any big moves.

“I don’t think I’ll be overly (active) but (he’s) on the phone and you talk to a variety of managers around the league and we have a couple of names that we’re interested in talking about and we’ll continue to do that until they disappear off the marketplace,” said Murray.

“If we lose that game and a couple of other teams in the race win, we’re in a difficult position, but I don’t know whether it makes a big, big difference,” said Murray. “But it keeps us in the race, and you have to react accordingly and that’s what we will do. We will again review where we are, what we’re hoping to do, what we want to achieve by the end of the year, as well as going forward in this organization and hopefully make the right decision.”